Forever Best Friends
by Shadow Danzer
Summary: *This Story Is Dedicated To My Real Life Stevie* After the death of a family friend, Stevie is sent to work as a jillaroo on a cattle farm, after 2mnths Carroll come's to visit. *WARNING: very sad*


_**After the death of a close friend Stevie is sent to the cattle ranch of an elderly couple that have known the family for years. She's been working as a jillaroo for the past two months and Carroll has finally been able to come visit, plans are made for Lisa to come up during Easter, but for now it's her and Carroll during a hot summers holidays.**_

Horses fly across the land, with every stride the two chestnuts covered more ground, cattle watch from a neighboring roll as the two teenagers race on, reins rested on their horses' necks as the run, arms out on either side of them like the airplanes in the blue sky above. Tears running down their face from the wind that they've created, hats held between their teeth to prevent them being lost in the dirt, hair soaring out like there horses manes.

A kangaroo hiding in a near by bush leapt out in fright from the thundering sound of the two thoroughbreds' hooves crashing over land, burnt under a bright sun with little to no shade, and less water. To them it was heaven, picking up their reins the girls brought the chestnuts back to a walk, as the two animals danced under them, grins on their faces they looked around, both wore sunglasses and sat in the black all-purpose saddles as though it wasn't there and they was part of their horses, Stevie grinned to the other girl,

"told you it was better out here" Carroll smiled back, her taller horse spinning, keen to run on across the open land, her own sunglasses sat at a dangerous angle as she fixed them, forcing the hat back on, her brown eyes sparkled with happiness as she grinned at her friend

"You're right, we go faster here, but I miss the closed in shaded tracks of home" the Stevie's smile slipped ever so slightly

"yeah I miss them as well, asides from you and Lisa, the tracks are what I miss most" she patted her horses sweaty neck and they turned around looking at the open land, mountains stood off in the distance as they looked over the cattle property.

"Personally the silence would get to me" it was Carroll, her jean's where ripped and a streak of what looked suspiciously like saddle oil was on her face. Stevie smiled, tugging her hat back on with one hand, mean while holding her dancing horse carefully at a walk

"Yeah…you get use to it, but I do miss people, like if it were friends, I could deal with it, but it's not, when you ride by yourself out here the silence is repressive" She smiled looking back over the open ground they'd just flown over

"We've got a long way to go back" she tugged on her shorts the heat was making the fabric stick; a faded school crest was in the corner, covered in dirt from many a trail.

"And it looks like rain" the older one looked up, watching the clouds that moved towards them at a alarming rate

"that would be right, we're in the middle of a drought but as soon as you show up it POURS on us," the brunette laughed, "come on lets go" Stevie's horse stood for a split second, before leaping forwards once again, followed soon by the other rider as the teens took off for home, words caught on the wind traveling back to Carroll's ears,

"Hello world, this is me" she smiled, the teen in front of her couldn't sing, but it didn't bother her. She lay low on her horse's neck egging her steed to catch up as the horse moved forward, leaping dead branches and holes, metal shoes ripped into the ground as they both raced back to the house.

They where covered in dirt and smiling, a can of diet coke in each of there hands as they watched the rain pouring down, a dog in each lap as they smiled into the storm, lightning streaked through the sky, ripping a jagged line and lighting up Carroll's book. The dogs weren't meant to be in the house, but they had agreed not to tell, finding comfort in the warm wet bodies that pressed so happily against them, a black one for the her and Stevie's lap sat a puppy, it's eyes bright as it licked its owner's chin, both absorbed into books they ignored the storm that ragged around the house, content with a good book, a dog and the knowledge that the other girl sat only a few meters away. Ah life was good it was simple and perfect.

The bus sat still and waiting, the engines not yet turned on but the suitcases all rested in the metal beast's giant stomach. The youngest girl stood, no longer in grubby jeans, but black pants, her long sleeved cowboy shirt was gone, in it's place was a pink shirt, the words Pine Hollow where written in faded font, as she smiled at one of her best friends, near by stood the elderly couple that owned the cattle property that only the day before the two had flown across, so carefree. The older girl stood smiling; a faint tear was in her eyes, as she hugged the other.

"Keep in touch, 'kay?" The young girl smiled, it was tinted with the sadness that she wouldn't see her friend for a long time, but it was still a smile

"I will, but you got to come back for another trail ride" both teens smiled at each other, a final hug, and Carroll climbed onto the bus. Taking her seat by the window she smiled at her friend. Waving at the girl who had dressed up… by leaving the cowboy shirt and home and pulling nice jeans on. They smiled at each other, a secretive smile. The sort you give to someone who knows everything about you. Their secret was one of open plains, fresh air and hooves ripping into dirt as chestnut horses raced forward.

_If I'd known that was the last time I'd see her, I would have given her another hug, told her that she was one of my greatest friends. Did she already know this? I'm sure she did, but I still remember that smile she gave me; a promise that she'd always be there. I will never see her again in this world, but I know that she's waiting in the next one, in a place where we'll race across clouds instead of dirt, where the horses never tire, and the wind brings tears to our eyes. It'll be the three of us, again, like it should be. But I take comfort in the knowledge, that she watches us. That every time I drop my reins onto my horses neck, she's there, making sure I don't fall, she's in the wind that bites into my eyes, she's in the thunderous sound of hooves as my horse runs on. She's there; watching out for me, watching out for us. _

_We are best friends, the three of us…_

_**FOREVER BEST FRIENDS **_

_Not even death will change that. _


End file.
